CBDT develops new software for filing digitally signed income tax returns

January, 27th 2016

Taxpayers recently reported they faced issues in using digital signature certificate at the time of uploading their income tax returns

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has developed a new software after taxpayers complained of problems in filing income tax (I-T) returns with digital signatures.

Taxpayers had recently reported that they faced issues in using digital signature certificate at the time of uploading their I-T returns.

“This is because the latest browser versions have started disabling the standard way in which they support plug-in functions to address security,” the CBDT said.

Hence, the Java applet that was used by the e-filing website “would not work” in the latest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer, it said.

“In order to address this issue and to simplify the procedure for uploading income tax return with digital signature certificate, an easy-to-use software utility has been developed which would have to be downloaded in the taxpayer’s computer and used for signing using digital signature certificate,” the CBDT said.

India is among the select band of nations that has a digital signature legislation in place. This act grants digital signatures that have been issued by a licensed certifying authority the same status as physical signatures.